2022 NFL Draft Thread

[FearlessF]

You always have good LBs.  Guessing- a good combo of recruiting and development/coaching?

and a great D-line??? 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Russell Wilson traded to the Broncos. Wow. Seahawks will get QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, two 1st rd picks, two 2nd rd picks, and a 5th rd pick for Russell Wilson and a 4th rd pick. Yeah so Drew Luck sucks, Fant is decent but not exactly a Gronk in his prime or Kelcee type TE, and I've never even heard of Shelby Harris.

Broncos about to get good, really fast. Seems like QB was the one thing they were really missing.

Eh... Do the Broncos have a "win now" roster? If not, that's an issue... Was it really QB that was the only thing they were missing? They traded away Von Miller for picks suggesting that maybe it was time to rebuild--now they're trading away LOTS of picks for Wilson? 

I've been a little sour on Wilson the last couple of seasons--seems his thought is to ALWAYS seek out the deep ball and mostly ignore underneath routes. 

Agreed that Drew Lock isn't worth anything, and also have never heard of Shelby Harris. Fant is a good piece that will help, but he's not a gamebreaker IMHO. 

I think this is Seattle saying "we're gonna rebuild like a mofo" this year, which makes ton of sense for them. What doesn't make sense is whether Denver is good enough to actually give Wilson something around him to win now, which you'd have to think if they're trading away that many picks.

[Mdot21]

Eh... Do the Broncos have a "win now" roster? If not, that's an issue... Was it really QB that was the only thing they were missing? They traded away Von Miller for picks suggesting that maybe it was time to rebuild--now they're trading away LOTS of picks for Wilson?

I've been a little sour on Wilson the last couple of seasons--seems his thought is to ALWAYS seek out the deep ball and mostly ignore underneath routes.

Agreed that Drew Lock isn't worth anything, and also have never heard of Shelby Harris. Fant is a good piece that will help, but he's not a gamebreaker IMHO.

I think this is Seattle saying "we're gonna rebuild like a mofo" this year, which makes ton of sense for them. What doesn't make sense is whether Denver is good enough to actually give Wilson something around him to win now, which you'd have to think if they're trading away that many picks.

Denver had the 3rd ranked defense in the NFL in 2021. Von was oft-injured and getting long in the tooth and had a fat contract they needed to unload. Bradley Chubb had a down 2021, missed half the year and dealt with a lot of injuries- but he's still a young in his prime talented pass rusher who has produced and made Pro Bowls. Justin Simmons is one of the best safeties in the entire NFL and Pat Surtain II is a phenomenal young CB. Denver will have another nasty defense in 2022, especially if Chubb rebounds to form.

On offense they'll have a pretty good 1-2 RB punch (if they re-sign Melvin Gordon III) and they do have some nice young talent at WR that have yet to blossom- but those dudes have also been playing with Drew Lock. Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler could both take massive leaps playing with a guy like Russell Wilson.

[ELA]

Man the AFC West is a freakin gauntlet now

[Cincydawg]

One projection (are these of any real value?) has four Dawgs in the first round, all on defense, duh.  I think some of their offensive players will offer good value, like George Pickens at WR, and Zamir White at RB, in rounds 2-3.

It'll be interesting to see how UGA reloads next year, their schedule is pretty favorable to get back to the SEC CG.

[MrNubbz]

Eh... Do the Broncos have a "win now" roster? If not, that's an issue... Was it really QB that was the only thing they were missing? They traded away Von Miller for picks suggesting that maybe it was time to rebuild--now they're trading away LOTS of picks for Wilson?

I've been a little sour on Wilson the last couple of seasons--seems his thought is to ALWAYS seek out the deep ball and mostly ignore underneath routes.

Stole my thunder,exactly,this is why I've said we have good player personell people right here. Moves like this have anyone with a greater than Biden understanding going WTF . Unless they can land/reload in this draft makes no sense. The Rams forfitted the future but it's already paying off for them NOW

[847badgerfan]

You always have good LBs.  Guessing- a good combo of recruiting and development/coaching?

Development has been huge. Nobody out side of Wisconsin, and very few within it, even knew who Leo (let alone John) Chenal was as a recruit.

[ELA]

Development has been huge. Nobody out side of Wisconsin, and very few within it, even knew who Leo (let alone John) Chenal was as a recruit.

The scheme is very underrated as well.  I'd argue Wisconsin has been underwhelming on the DL for years now, but scheme and LB talent has compensated that the front seven as a whole hasn't skipped a beat

[Cincydawg]

I have a notion the "3-4" isn't really a 3-4 in a sense, I usually see four guys with hands on the ground.  I think it means your OLBs are rushers at times in 3 point, one or the other, it's just flexible as to which.

[FearlessF]

true

a front 7 is a front 7

jersey numbers and hands in the dirt aren't important

[Cincydawg]

Yeah, that's is my general impression.  I didn't like the "3-4" before I started to see it's not much different except in flexibility.  It looks like a 4 front usually.

It's less predictable.

I still wonder what the QB is pointing to at times before the snap.  Sometimes I can see, but others he's just pointing to some random LB who is where he usually lines up.  Maybe it's to signal the RB who to chip or block?

I don't have much sense of the verbal communication that goes on presnap.

[betarhoalphadelta]

Yeah, that's is my general impression.  I didn't like the "3-4" before I started to see it's not much different except in flexibility.  It looks like a 4 front usually.

It's less predictable.

I still wonder what the QB is pointing to at times before the snap.  Sometimes I can see, but others he's just pointing to some random LB who is where he usually lines up.  Maybe it's to signal the RB who to chip or block?

I don't have much sense of the verbal communication that goes on presnap.

I do think in a lot of 4-3 alignments you are trying to have the DL occupy/split a gap to make tackles. In a 3-4 you want to have monster interior linemen who can control two gaps by taking a blocker head on and have the ability to shed him either side. The former is a "one gap" technique, the latter is a "two gap" technique.

Finding those interior monsters is hard though, so a lot of 3-4 alignments are actually getting 4 players aligned at the LOS using a hybrid speed rusher / LB on the edge to be versatile. Those guys are easier to find and recruit than someone you know can bulk up to 360# and keep their mobility and strength.

[OrangeAfroMan]

I think people are initially wary of a 3-4 because they think the DEs are still going to be 240 lb guys.  Once you see on Bama and UGA that they're 280+, you understand how the 3-4 stands up vs the run.

[Cincydawg]

I figured DEs would still be 280+, and the NT 320+, I didn't realize how large LBs were getting while retaining speed.  As noted above, it's really the seven, not the 4-3 or 3-4.  I like the flexibility of the 3-4 now that I start to understand it.  It can turn into a 4-3 or 5-2 or even 6-1 in an instant.

The guys in the back end have to be able to hold up obviously.  It's a fascinating game, and I wish I understood it better.  Todd Blackledge helps some, but hardly anyone else does.